Apparatus for drying, heating, and/or cooling flowable solids



July 22, 1947. J. L. ER ISMAN 2,424,228

APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS Filed Jan. 14, 1944 14 Sheets-Sheet l July 22, 1947. J. ERISMAN APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 q. M w w 7 I I l I II l 9/. o o a :T T 4- 4 m a M 4 m In La .n o. 3 T H um 4 m m a m f w Y m u m u 4 a nil. h #L a a v n u 1 l N 1 r/ J W n d n 0 a u T \l W ,Jwweu M 4 .2 a v M a il I, 4 I I z |.|o|m|| {W a f- MM k W n W ,0. n w. w w w July 22,1947. J. ERISMAN APPARATUS FCR DRYING, HEATING, AND/0R COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS .Filed Jan; 14, 1944 14 Sheets-Sheet s y 1947- J. L. ERISMAN 2,424,228

APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS Filed Jan. 14, 1944 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 y 7- 4.1... ERISMAN 2,424,228

APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS FileQ Jan. 14, 1944 l4 Sheets-Sheet 5 y l947- J. L. ERISMAN 2,424,228

APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS Filed Jan. 14. 1944 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 lfilllvr I July 22, 1947- J. L. ERISMAN APPARATUS FOR DliYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLB SOLIDS Filed Jan. 14. 1944 14 Sheets-Sheet 7 IYIIIIII/III/IIIIIIIIII/ "1 PM,WW H

July 22, 1947: J. L. ERISMAN 2,424,228

nrmwus FOR manna, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING novmsw soups Filed Jan. 14. 1944 14 snets-sheet 8 July 2 2, 1947- J. L. ERISMAN APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS Filed Jan. 14, 1944 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 y 1947. J. ERISMAN 2,424,228

APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/0R COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS Filed Jan. 14, 1944 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 i W-M y 2 1947- J; ERISMAN 2,424,228

APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLQWABLE SOLIDS Filed Jan. 14. 1944 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 l i ,1 II nn H nun J. ERISMAN 2,424,228

APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS July 22, 1947.-

14 Sheets-She et 12 Filed Jan. 14, 1944 July 22, 1947. I

J. L. ERISMAN 2,424,228

APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLB SOLIDS 14 Sheets-Shoot 13 Filed Jan. 14,- 1944 July 22, 1947- J. .L. ERISMAN APPARATUS FOR DRYINEL HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS Filed Jan. 14, 1944 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 Patented Jul 22, 1947 APPARATUS FOR DRYING, HEATING, AND/OR COOLING FLOWABLE SOLIDS John L. Erisman, Oak Park, 111., assignmto Link- Belt Company, a corporation of Illinois Application January 14, 1944, Serial No. 518,303

Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus for treating flowable solids, and deals more particularly with the continuous treatment of flowable solids with all, or other gaseous fluids, to effect drying, heating and/ or cooling thereof.

It is the present commercial practice'to make extensive use of rotary drums, kilns, or the like, for continuously treating flowable solids with air, or other gaseous fluids, to remove therefrom moisture existing upon or within the individual material particles or lumps: to raise or lower the temperature of the material subsequent to or in preparation for some other treatment operation, or to effect other changes in physical characteristics. The use of certain types of rotary drums or kilns for this character of work is satisfactory insofar as efliciency 'of treatment of the material is concerned. However, such factors as initial cost based on tonnage capacity; Dower required to rotate the massive cylinder or drum structure for lifting and advancing the entire mass or load of material being treated and to force the treatment air, or other gaseous fluid, through the thick bed of material as it is advanced through the cylinder or drum; cost of making repairs or replacements of internal parts damaged or destroyed by the handling of highly abrasive or corrosive materials; and limitations regarding flexibility and adaptability of any given size of cylinder or drum for effecting proper treatment of materials of widely difierent sizes or moisture content, or requiring treatment periods of vastly different durations, make it impractical or impossible to employ this type of equipment for certain jobs.

The present invention provides apparatus which is fully as effective and eflicient for the con-. tinuou treatmentof flowable solids with air, or other gaseous fluids, to effect drying, heating and/or cooling thereof as rotary dru'ms, kilns, or the like, and yet it overcomes all of the aforementioned undesirable factors or characteristics of such prior equipment.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide apparatus for subjecting flowable solids to the action of air, or other gaseous fluids, to

effect such continuous treatment as removing moisture existing upon or within the individual material particles or lumps, merely raising or lowering the temperature of the material, or effecting other changes in physical characteristics.

A further important object of the invention is to provide apparatus for effecting continuous drying, heating and/or cooling of flowable solids by 2 causing the solids to make repeated passes through the flow path of the treatment fluid during movement of the solids through the appa- Mills. 4

- Still another primary object of the invention is to provide apparatus which will cause flowable solids to repeatedly fall or cascade as a relatively shallow stream through, and, be repeatedly lifted back through, the flow path of treatment air,

or other gaseous fluid, to efiect a change in temperature and/or moisture content of the solids.

Another important object of the invention is to provide apparatus which will cause a treatment fluid to flow over the surfaces .of spaced masses of flowable solids continuously moving in one direction and through a relatively shallow stream of said solids continuously moving in another direction to effect transfer of heat and/or moisturefrom one to the other of said'materials.

A further object of the invention is the provision of apparatus for continuously drying, heating and/or cooling flowable solids which, as compared with such other prior equipment as rotary drums, kilns, or the like, may be manufactured at a lower cost because the primary parts of the apparatus only consist of a light-weight, stationary, fabricated housing and a'fabricated pan or apron type of conveyor; may be operated with a small consumption of power for moving the material, by means of the said conveyor, into operative relation with the treatment gases because only approximately half of the flowable solids passing through the housing are at any given time being moved by the conveyor; may be maintained in good repair at small expense when employed for handling highly abrasive or corrosive materials because the pans or aprons of the conveyor are the only parts of the apparatus which are subject to severe attack by the abrasive or corrosive material being treated and the conveyor may be removed from the housing for convenient replacement; and may easily be conditioned for effectively treating materials of widely difierent sizes or moisture content or requiring treatment periods of vastly diiierent duration because by inclining the conveyor at different angles with respect to the vertical and by transversely canting the conveyor with respect to the horizontal, the falling or cascading rate of movement of the material, the number of passes or cycles of movement of the material, and the progress of the material from the feeding point to the discharging point may be infinitely varied to provide treatment periods of vastly diilerent duration, etc. for any given size of apparatus,

Another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of the above mentioned type which, for any given tonnage capacity, will require a minimum quantity of the treatment fluid and a minimum consumption of power to effect flow-of the treatment fluid because said fluid is only required to move or permeate through a thin or shallow layer of the material being treated and every particle or lump of the said material is repeatedly exposed to direct contact with the treatmentfluid.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same. 1

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of apparatus for effectin drying, heating and/or cooling of flowable solids that embodies this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus which'is taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line H of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Figure 6 is a transverse line 66 of Fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 1,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view, partly broken away, of a small section of the conveyor mechanism that is employed as a part of the apparatus shown in the preceding figures.

Figure 9 is a detail, elevational view, partly broken away, of one conveyor pan or apron.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view taken on line l0'l 0 of Fig. 8 and shows the conveyor pans, and their associated end plates, in the relative positions they assume while traveling through a straight run for the conveyor,

Figure 11 is a similar view to Fig. 10 but discloses the relative positions assumed by adjacent conveyor pans or aprons, and their end plates, while moving through a curved path,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary plan view looking down on the pans or aprons and the end plates of the conveyor members-shown in Fig. 11,

Figure 13 is a detail sectional view taken on line Iii-l3 of Fig. 8, Figure 14 is a fragmentary and partly broken away vertical sectional view, taken on line Ml4 of Fig. 15, and is provided to illustrate the manner in which the material is lifted through and is caused to fall or cascade through the flow path of the treatment air, or other gaseous fluid,

Figure 14a is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line I id-I 4a of Fig. 15,

Figure 15 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken at right angles to the showing of Fig. 14 and is provided to illustrate in elevation the movements of the material shown in section in Fig. 14,

sectional view taken on Figure 16 is a diagrammatic view which is in-- tended to depict the manner in which the flowable solids being treated are caused to make several passes or move through several complete cycles while traveling from the feeding point to the discharging point of the apparatus,

Figure 17 is a side elevational view of a slightly modified form of apparatus embodying the invention; and

Figure 18 is a vertical sectional view taken through the apparatus of Fig. 17.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown the preferred embodiments of this invention, and first particularly referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the reference character A is employed for designating in its entirety the housing of this apparatus which is employed for treating flowable solids. This housing is of any suitable fabricated construction. As disclosed in these figures, the housing includes a top frame 20 formed of side and end channel irons and a bottom frame 2| formed of side and end channelirons'. The opposite sides of this frame 2l' are additionally extended beyond the upper end of the housing A to accommodate the rod 28 which is employed for adiustably connecting the side channel irons to the upstanding channel members 29. The lower ends of these channel members 29 are pivotally connected at 30 to the base frame 21. By means of this con-' struction, it will be appreciated that the apparatus housing A may be positioned at any desired number of different inclined angles relative to the vertical. It is expressly pointed out at this time that the specific structural features of the housing A and"its supporting frame 21 and channels 29 described above are not intended to limit the invention to this particular construction. It will be appreciated that the housing A can be fabricated in many different ways to satisfy the requirements regarding strength, rigidity and closed or sealed characteristics of the side walls and end walls. Furthermore, the base frame 21 and the upstanding channel members 29, withthe pivotal and adiustableconnections,

' able support for the housing A and to illustrate the point that the housing can be supported at any suitable inclined angle with respectto the vertical. In making commercial installations for handling specific materials and for treating these materials in a specific way, the desired inclination of the housing A will be predetermined and a supporting frame structure will be provided for permanently retaining the housin at the proper inclined angle with respect to the perpendicular.

Fig. 2 discloses the entire apparatus as being transversely canted with respect to th horizontal. This condition of the apparatus is illustrated as being obtained by the positioning of a block or shim 3| under one side of the base frame 27. It will be appreciated that blocks or shims of difierent thickness will maintain the entire apparatus at different canted angles with respect to the horizontal. It is again noted that the illustrated manner of obtaining the transverse canting of the apparatus should not be construed as limiting the invention to this particular construction. The desired degree of canting will be predetermined for each installation and the supporting frame structure for the housnently maintain the desired canted angles relative to the horizontal.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3 to 7 inclusive, it will be seen that the bottom of the housing A is provided with a wall panel 32 that is interrupted intermediate its length and throughout a desired portion of its width-to provide an inlet opening 33 for the treatment air, or other gaseous fluids. An inlet box 34 is suitably connected to the wall panel 32 at the margins of the inlet opening 33 and functions todeliver the treatment air, or other fluid, tothe interior of the housing A. Fig. 1 discloses the inlet box as being suitably connected to a supply duct. 35 which, of course, will extend to a suitable source of treatment fluid under the desired pressure head.

These same Figs. 1 and 3 to 'l inclusive disclose the top of the housing A as being provided with a wall panel 36 that is suitably interrupted intermediate its ends and for a desired portion of its width to provide an exhaust opening 31 for the treatment fluid after it has passed through the housing A. A suitable exhaust hood 38 is connected in any desired manner to the top wall panel 38 at the margins of the exhaust opening 31 and functions to carry ofl! the treatment gases and deliver them to an exhaust duct 33.

Figs. 2 to 7 inclusive disclose secondary side walls 40 and 4| which are arranged. in parallelism with the exterior wall panels 22 and 23 respectively and are spaced inwardly from these panel walls for the purpose of accommodating two strands of conveyor chains. sprocket wheels for the chains, etc., to exclude these elements from the direct path of the treatment fluid. Figs. 3 and to '7 inclusive disclose these secondary side walls as terminating. in longitudinal edges 43a and 4 |a respectively in spaced relation to the bottom panel wall 32 and the top panel wall 35 to allow for the passage of the flights of a conveyor while the flights are moving through parallel paths. Figs. 2 and 3 disclose these secondary side walls 40 and 4| as terminating in arcuate end edges 40b and 4|b in spaced relation to the end wall panels 24 and 25 to allow for th passage of the conveyor flights around the head and foot sprocket wheels. Fig. 3 discloses secondary side wall extensions 42 at the upper end of the housing A which lie in the same plane as the secondary side wall 4|. The inner arcuate edges 42a are shaped to accommodate the conveyor flights as they move around the head sprocket wheels. This Fig. 2 also discloses secondary side wall extensions 43 which lie in the same plane as the secondary side wall 4|. The inner arcuate edges 43a are shaped and arranged to accommodate the conveyor flights while passing around the foot sprocket wheels. In the Fig. 3 disclosure, it will be seen that these arcuate edges 43a are spaced from the conveyor flights in their illustrated paths. This spacing is to allow for adjustments of the foot sprocket wheels to take up stretch or wear that develops in the two strands of conveyor chains. It will be seen, by inspecting Fig. 2, that extensions 42b and 4317, similar to those identified by thereference characters '42 and 43, are provided for the secondary side wall 40. I ,1

To assist in sealing the openings orgaps provided outwardly of the edgesof the secondary side walls 40 and 4| against the leakage of the treatment fluid, sealing. boxes or channels 44 and 45 are f ormed laterally outwardly of these openings orgaps. Figs. 2 and 4 to Tinclusive show the box or channel 44 as being associated 6 with th secondary side wall 40 while Figs. 2

and 5 to '7 inclusive disclose the box or channel ,45 as being associated with the secondary side a A wall 4| Figs. 2 and 4 to 7 inclusive disclose the box or channel 44 as having a slot 46 formed therein to allow for the passage of attachment lugs carried by the pan or apron flights of the conveyor. Figs. 2 and 4 disclose this slot 46 as being of increased width at its lower end 46a to accommodate take-up adjustments of the foot sprocket wheels.

Figs. 2 and 5 to 7 inclusiv disclose the box or channel 45 as having a slot 41 to accommodate the attachment lugs carried by the opposite ends of the conveyor flights. Fig. 2 discloses this slot 4 at its lower end portion 41a as being of increased width like the lower end 46a of slot 46. It will be explained at a later point that the conveyor flights are provided-with end sealing plates that travel in these boxes or channels 44 and 45 and help to seal against the leakage of the treatment air, or other gaseous fluid, through the slots 45 and 41 that are formed in the boxes or channels. 3

Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive disclose a head shaft 48 as extending transversely through'the upper end portion of the housing A. Figs. 2and 5 show this shaft as extending through suitable ,openings formed in the secondary side walls 40 and 4| and as extending through suitable openings formed in the side wall panels 22 and 23. Figs. 1, 2 and5 disclose the outer projecting ends of this head shaft 43 as being journaledin suitable bearings 49 that are located outside of the housing A.

These three figures show these bearings 49 as formed between the side wall panels 22 and 23 and the secondary side walls 40 and 4|, respectively.

Figs. 1 to 4.inclusive and 7 disclose a foot shaft 53 as extending through the lower end portion of the housing A. Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 7 disclose this foot shaft 53 as passing through elongated'openings 54 and 55 that are formed in the secondary side walls 40 and 4| respectively. Figs. 1, 2 and 7 disclose this foot shaft 53 as extending through elongated openings 56 and 51 that are formed in the side wall panels 22 and 23 respectively. These elongated openings 54 to 51 inclusive are provided to accommodate take-up adjustments of this foot shaft 53.

Figs. 1, 2 and '7 disclose the outer end portions of the foot shaft 53 as being mounted in-suitable bearings 58 that are suitably,;adjustably attached to mounting brackets 53 carried by the side wall panels 22 and 23. Suitable take-up screws are operatively associated with the bearings 58 andthe mounting'brackets 59 for effecting adjustments of the foot shaft 53 longitudinally of the housing A.

Suitable meansare provided in the lowerportion of the housing: for guiding the conveyor chains, such as the foot sprocket wheelslil mounted on the portions of the foot shaft 53 which pass through-the spaces formed between Figs. 2, 4, and 7 disclose a separate strand of roller chain 62 trained over each aligned pair of head and foot sprocket wheels 52 and GI. These chains, of course, are driven by the head shaft 48. Figs, 4 and 6 disclose angle tracks 63 for supporting and guiding the chain strands while passing through the lower run extending between the head and foot wheels. These same figures disclose angle tracks 64 for supporting and guiding the two strands of chain while passing through the upper run extending between the head and foot wheels. A laterally inwardly extending attachment lug 65 is shown in each of Figs. 2, 5 to 9 inclusive, and "13 as being attached to the inner side plate of each link of this roller chain.

These attachment lugs are employed for connecting to the two strands of chain the pan or apron type of flight 66 by means of the attachment lugs 61 that are carried by the opposite ends of the flights. The flights 66 are clearly disclosed in Figs. 2 to 12 inclusive, 14 and 14a while the attachment lugs 61 are shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to 9 inclusive. The particular shape of each one of the pan or apron type of flights 66 is best shown in Figs. 3, 8 to 12 inclusive, l4 and 14a. It will be noted from these several figures that each flight, of course, extends between the two strands of chains 62. Each flight is of multl-angle formation in section. The flights are shaped and arranged within the assembly to provide material carrying pans 68 while traveling upwardly through the lower run of the conveyor.

Each one.

23 and the secondary side walls 40 and II respectively.

Figs. 2, 3, 7 and 14 best illustrate a material feed chute l6 employed for delivering the flowable solids that are to be treated into the interior of the housing A at a zone which is located at the lefthand side of the path of travel oi the flights 66. while they move through their active,

' lower run, and adjacent the region where the of these pans 88 is formed by the inner lip portion 1 69, the intermediate bottom or base portion ID,

and the back portion ll. An outer lip or flange flights move into the straight line path of the lower run after bending around the foot sprocket wheels 6|. It was pointed out in describing the conveyor flights 66 that the inner lips I! thereof were notched out at 13 to accommodate the inner end of this feed spout. Figs. 3 and 14 best disclose the manner in which the inner, delivery end of the feed spout l8 cooperates with the notched out portions 13 of the material lifting pans ll of the flights as they move into the straight, active, lower run of the conveyor. A trim-oi! plate II and a, deflector plate 11a are illustrated in Figs. 14 and 14a as functioning respectively to control the amount of material fed by the spout 18 into the conveying pans GI and to prevent cascading material from interfering with the feed.

A suitable shield or spill plate I8 is shown in Figs. 2, 3, 7, 14, 14a and 15 as extending the entire distance between the secondary side plates and 4| and Just below the delivery zone of the feed spout 16. The manner in which this shield or spill plate 18 functions to prevent the material being treated from spilling down into the path of the flights traveling around the foot sprocket wheels will-be more fully explained at a later 12 is provided for the dual purpose of adding strength to the flight and. for cooperating with the wall panels 32 and 36 for preventin by-passing of the treatment gases admitted to the hous- 1 ing A through the inlet opening 33 and exhausted I from this housing through the outlet opening 31.

Figs. 2, Ste 7- inclusive, 9; and '14 show the inner lip portion 69 of each flightasbeing'notched or cut away at 13, which is at the lefthan'd end "of each flight, to accommodate the feedspout which will be speciflcally'referred mat a later point.

point.

Figs. lto 6 inclusive, 15 and 16 disclose a dis charge spout," as extending into the interior of the housing A through the side wall panel 22 and the secondary side wall 4| to terminate in the In describingthe use of the sealing boxes or channels 44 and 45, it was mentioned that the opposite ends of the flights carried end plates for cooperating with these sealing boxes or'chan-- in connection with these disclosures. By particularly considering Figs. 8 and 12, it will be" noted that these end plates 14 of adjacent flights the flight pans or main bodies 68. sealing plates are of rectangular formation with the exception of being notched out at 15 to at:

commodate the angular portions H and 12 of succeeding flights. Figs. 10 and ,11 best illus' trate the manner in which these sealing end plates overlap and cooperate with each other while their flights are traveling through a straight path and while they are traveling around a bend produced by the head or foot sprocket wheels. Figs. 2, 4 and 5 to '7 inclusive clearly illustrate the manner in which these end sealing plates 14 travel through and cooperate with the sealing boxes or channels 44 and 45 for preventing leakage of the treatment fluid from the interior of the housing A into thespaces that are formed between the outside wall panels 22 and nels; These end plates are best shown in 'FigsJ 8'to l2'inclusive and will be specifically described manner best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. This terminal end" is open and is positioned to re.- ceive. the fully treated material as it is spilled from the right'hand end portions of the flight pans "tin bending around the head sprocket wheels 52. 'This spillage of the treated material will'be more fully explained at a later point.

Itq is now believed that a description of the movement of the material to be treated through the housing A is in order and it will be presented in connection with the disclosures of Figs. 14 to 16' inclusive, which have been provided principally for this purpose.

. It is believed that a brief explanation of the part or portion of the apparatus that is disclosed in' thesethree figures will be helpful in arriving at a bettenunderstanding. By first comparing the sectional view of Fig. 14 with the sectional view of Fig. 3, it will be seen that the flights 66 of the lower active run are shown along with a few of the flights traveling from the lower bend oi the conveyor path into the straight lower run and several of the flights as. they move around the head sprocket wheels. In other words, the

illustrated flights are those that extend from a point just below thefeeding zone for the material to a point just beyond the zone of discharge. Schematic and diagrammatic views provided by Figs, 15 and 16 are intended to show in plan the same number of flights as are shown in Fig. 14. Therefore, these flgures 15 and 16 show areas bounded by the secondary side plates 40 and 4| at their opposite sides and the feed and discharge spouts l6 and I9 which are located at diametrically opposite corner portions of this area.

These two figures also illustrate the bottom spill or shield plate 18; v

It will be remembered that the housing A is intended to be supported in such a manner that the lower, active run of the conveyor is inclined at a desired angle with respect to the perpendicular. Additionally, the housing A is intended to be transversely canted at any desired angle relative to the horizontal. The inclination of the active run of the conveyor is depicted in Fig. 14 while the transverse canting is clearly shown by the disclosures of Figs. 15 and 16.

Starting with the flowable solids to be treated as they are delivered by the feed spout 16 into the pans 68 of the flights as the latter move through the feeding zone, we will see that a band of completely untreated material is applied to the left hand end portion of each flight. This band of material is lifted or elevated in the form of spaced charges or masses through the path of flow ,of the treatment air, or other gaseous fluid, that is produced by the inlet box 36 and the exhaust hood 38. That is to say, separate masses or charges -of the material are lifted through the path of the treatment gases and these gases are permitted to pass through the spaces provided between the adjacent flights 66 with the result that the treatment gases will be placed in contact with the top surfaces of the masses or charges being carried by the flights.

Fig. 14 discloses the completely untreated material B being delivered by the feed spout 16 into the pans 68 of the flights 66 and the individual charges or masses C of the material being lifted through the flow path of the treatment gases, moving in the direction of the arrow D. The upward direction of travel of the conveyor flights in this figure is represented by the arrow E.

Fig. 15 discloses the flights 66 as carrying the separate charges or masses of material C upwardly through the treatment zone. The solid arrow line H in Fig. 16 is intended to represent the upward movement of this first band of material C that is being, elevated by the flights '66. The general path of movement of this firsthand of material is parallel to the secondary side plates 40 and 4| and, of course, it is at an angle to the vertical due to the inclination of the path of the flights and" due tothe canted condition of the housing A.

Returning now to Fig. 14, it will be seen that as the flight pans 68 travel around the bend provided by the head sprocket wheels 52, the material C will start spilling over the edges of the inner lips 69 of the flight pans. This spilling is identified by the reference character J. The material continues to spill from the flight pans until the angle assumed by the inner lips 69 of the pans is less than the angle of repose of the material C on the flights. This spilled material flows or cascades downwardly over the ascending flights and the charges or masses of material C being lifted by these flights. The downwardly flowing r cascading stream of material is represented by the character K. It will be appreciated that this stream of cascading material is thin or shallow and as it moves or falls through the spaces provided between adjacent flights 66, the treatment fluid will be caused to pass or permeate through the stream with the result that every individual particle or lump of the flowing material is directly subjected to the air, or other gaseous fluid.

Fig. 15 attempts to represent this falling or v of passesor cycles.

cascading stream of material by the dotted lines K. The broken arrow line K of Fig. 16 is intended to represent the downward fall of the material that was elevated in the initial band represented by the solid arrow line H. As this falling material is under the influence of gravity, its path will be truly. vertical and it will consev quently advance to a certain extent transversely across the treatment area, or in the direction of the discharge side of housing A. Of course, some of the material falling from the initial band of elevated material will not clear the zone occupied by the feed spout l6 and this material is illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 as being deflected laterally of the feed zone'by the plate "a.

All of the falling orcascading material finally will be stopped by the shield or spill plate 18, see Figs. 14a and 15, and will be recharged by .this plate into the rising pans 68.0f the flights as they are returned empty to this recharging zone. It will be appreciated that the material being treated will be repeatedly lifted by the flights 66 and repeatedly spilled to cascade downwardly over the ascending flights any desired number of times as the material is advanced to the dis.- charge zone. The solid, up arrow lines L and the interrupted, down arrow lines M of Fig. 16 are intended to depict this repeated cycling of the material through the flow path of the treatment gases while advancing transversely of the treatment zone. I of the housing A. the material will be caused to make different numbers of passes or complete cycles in advancing through the housing. The

number of solid and interrupted arrow lines illustrated in Fig. 16, therefore, are not intended to limit the invention to this particular number It further will be understood that subsequent to the initial upward travel of the material delivered by the feed spout 16 as a fairly well defined band, this band formation will completely-disappear due to a blending of the material laterally.

As thematerial is spilled, as at J, from the righthand end portions of the flights as they move around the head sprocket wheels, the spilled material will be received by the upper open end of the discharge spout l9 and will be carried out'of the housing for delivery to any desired point.

It will be noted at this point that it is impossible to provide an entirely accurate pictorialshowing of the movement of. the material up- .ing the speed of travel of the conveyor flights and by varying the inclined angle of the active lower run of the conveyor, through adjustment of the housingA, the duration of the treatment period provided for the material can be varied considerably These adjustments plus variations in transverse and longitudinal dimensions of the flight pans 68 as well as variations in the length of the active run of the conveyor will pro- By varying the degree of cant- 11 vide anydesired variation in the tonnage capacity of this treatment apparatus.

The modified form of material treatment apparatus shown in Figs. 17 and 18 will operate in exactly the same manner as the modification shown byFigs. 1 to 16 inclusive. Therefore, the primary purpose of illustrating this modification is to clearly show that structurally the invention is not limited to the details illustrated in the previous figures.

This modification of Figs. 17 and 18 includes the housing A which is suitably fabricated to provide the necessary strength of construction 12 Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus of the type described, comprising tion of the housing for guiding the conveyor and the essential leak-proof characteristics for the treatment air, or other gaseous fluids, passed therethrough.

This housing A is suitably connected to the bottom frame 8| that is pivotally connected at 82 to the base 63. An upright frame 84 is pivotally connected at 85 to the base 88 and is provided with a longitudinal series of openings 88 to receive a rod or bar 81 that passes through the extensions 88 ofthe base 8|. By locating this bar or rod 81 in diflerent ones of the series of holes 88, the housing A may be held in diflerent positions to vary the angle of inclination of the active bottom run of the conveyor for the apparatus. A suitable jack 89 is provided to effect adjustments of the pivotally mounted frame 8| of the housing A.

An inlet box 88 is suitably connected to the underside of the housing A for delivering the treatment air, or other gaseous fluid to the inlet opening SI of the housing A. An exhaust hood 92 is suitably connected to the upper wall of the housing A and communicates with the exhaust opening 93 that leads from the interior of the housing.

The pan type of flight conveyor 84 is .of identical construction to the conveyor shown in the preceding figures. However, the two chain strands are trained over head sprocket wheels 85 while the fixed tracks 86 and adjustable tracks 91 are substituted for the foot sprocket wheels of the previously described modification. These chain guiding. and supporting tracks 86 and 81 provide an enlarged loop type of path for the foot of the conveyor. The tracks 91 are adjusted by the take-up mechanism 98 to provide for tightening the two strands of conveyor chains. Fig. 18 discloses a feed spout 99 of the same general construction as the feed spout 16 for the,

previously described modification. Figs. 17 and 18 disclose a, discharge spout I80 which is of substantially the same construction as the previously described discharge spout 19. A shield or spill plate |8| is positioned in the lower loop portion of the conveyor path and functions in the same manner as the shield or spill plate 18 for the previously described modification.

In view of the very detailed manner in which the modification of Figs. 1 to 16 inclusive is 11- lustrated and described, it is believed to be unnecessary to provide any further illustration or description of the modification shown in Figs. 17 and 18. It should be sufficient to say that all other details are the same for both of the embodiments of the invention.

It is to be understood that the forms of this invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts, as come within the scope of the subjoined claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the inven on,

(ill

chains, a series of flights arranged to travel a closed path within the treatment chamber, said secondary side walls having slots in alignment with the path of the flights and through which the ends of the flights extend for connection with the links of the conveyor chains, means operatively associated with the flights and the secondary side walls for sealing said slots against the leakage of treatment fluid from said chamber,

inlet and outlet openings formed in the opposite housing walls that extend between and are arranged substantially at right angles to said secondary side walls between which a gaseous treatment fluid will flow in passing through the said chamber, means for feeding untreated material to the flights in the "chamber, and means for receiving treated material from the flights and discharging it from the housing.

2. Apparatus of the type described, comprising a housing, a material treatment chamber formed within the housing and including secondary side walls spaced from the side walls of the housing to provide transmission compartments, a head shaft extending through the housing and its treatment chamber, bearings for said shaft mounted outboard of the housing, sprocket wheels mounted on the shaft within said transmission compartments, conveyor chains trained over the sprocket wheels, means in the lower portion of the housing for guiding the conveyor chains, a series of flights arranged to travel a closed path within the treatment chamber, said secondary side walls having slots in alignment with the path of the flights and through which the ends of the flights extend for connection with the links of the conveyor chains, sealing boxes overlying the slots in the secondary side walls, overlapping sealing plates carried by the ends of the flights and traveling in the sealing boxes, inlet and outlet openings formed in the opposite housing walls that extend between and are arranged substantially at right angles to said secondary side walls between which gaseous treatment fluid will flow in passing through the said chamber, means for feeding untreated material to the flights in said chamber, and means for receiving treated material from the flights and discharging it from the housing.

3. Apparatus of the type described, comprising a pair of parallel shafts canted with respect to the horizontal and arranged in a plane that is inclined with respect to the vertical, aligned sprocket wheels mounted on the parallel shafts, chains trained over the aligned sprocket wheels. elongated conveyor pans attached at their ends to said chains and opening inwardly of their path of travel so as to spill conveyed material downwardly in a shallow stream over the advancing pans of the lower run in passing around they sprocket wheels of the higher shaft, means for feeding material to the conveyor pans at one end portion of each one of the same as they pass into the lower run of the conveyor, means for 

